The story of a West Jordan narcotics detective dealing with years of grief, guilt, and trauma from the job, and the fear that kept him from getting help. Matt Canham of the Salt Lake Tribune joins us.
You hear stories of crippling PTSD that soldiers can face after returning from combat. But there are also professions facing similar mental health issues right here at home. In a series for The Salt Lake Tribune, Matt Canham profiles West Jordan Detective Brent Jex, who struggled with grief and guilt after the death of a fellow officer. It nearly destroyed his own life. Canham joins us to talk about the heavy toll of law enforcement and emergency work and the barriers to finding help.
- Matt Canham is senior managing editor for the Salt Lake Tribune. You can read his 6-part series Officer in Distress on-line.
- Thursday evening at 7 p.m., the Tribune will host a panel discussion called Utah's First Responders and PTSD. That's at the Salt Lake City Public Library, and you can get more details on their Facebook event page.
- Listen to KUER Erik Neumann's story For Emergency Dispatchers, The Mental Toll of a High-Stress Job